142 AORICULTL'RE OF MAIXE. 



RAISIXG CALVES FOR THE DAIRY. 

 I'.y Z. A. Gilbert, North Greene. 



My theme, though so commonplace, is nevertheless one of 

 importance in dairy circles. Every dairyman can replenish his 

 herd with calves of his own raising. 



(i ) The first requisite in successful dairying is good cows. 



(2) The first re(|uirement for a good cow is a good calf. 



Good cows every dairyman is searching for and no one ever 

 finds enough. The foundation of a good cow — the base from 

 which the mature structure is built, is a well-bred, vigorous, 

 healthy calf. The breeding of the calf is not my theme, so that 

 will be left in the mystic realm of uncertainty where it has so 

 long parried the approaches of advancing knowledge. I begin 

 with the calf when first dropped, and insist that it must be well 

 born. Xo calf should ever be raised that is not vitally — natur- 

 ally — strong when dropped. Xo such calf is wanted as that 

 advertised by Artemus Ward for sale with its dam — "One 

 brindle cow with a wobbly bull calf at her side." Xo "wobbly" 

 calf, tumbling about the pen for the want of stamina enough to 

 stand erect, is wanted. Instead the calf to raise should be on 

 its feet stretching in thirty minutes after dropped, as much as 

 to say, "Here I am ! X'ow bring on your stufif." Such a calf 

 has vitality to build upon. No calf is worth the raising whose 

 dam has not been dry two months prior to the dropping of the 

 calf. Vitality is as necessary to the cow as is fuel to the engine 

 to enable her to perform the function designed, and this can 

 never be built into an animal that does not possess it through 

 inheritance. 



I have had much experience in raising young calves 

 and growing them up to mature animals, and have realized much 

 satisfaction from the uniform success that has attended my 

 efforts. There is much pleasure in seeing the young things 

 grow in their perfect health and thrift. 



Given, then, a calf fit to raise, and the first and foremost 

 matter to receive attention is cleanliness. The next is strict 

 attention to diet, and these two constitute the whole gamut. 



